Reality, Fiction and The Line That Separates Them
by Lost Squirrel
Summary: Aiko had been working on something special to present to her friends, but how will it effect her future? Will it seperate reality from fiction well enough to let them go in the end? when does a game become to dangerous for even her? [changed title]
1. How it all began

**Lost Squirrel**: This is going to be good! I swear!

**Dragon fly**: No, it's not! All your stories are weird and just run in circles with no point.

**John**: She is right…Wait a minute! What am I doing here!

**Lost Squirrel**: Budget Cuts called for a male if we were to keep the female audience. We need you for sex appeal.

**Dragonfly**: But remember ladies, he's only eye candy! Paws off or Rae'll go all hamster fist of fury on you!

**Lost** **Squirrel**: Sweat Drop Um, she means to say, "I hope you enjoy the story!"

**John**: I have a bad feeling about this…

**Lost** **Squirrel**: Aw, now you're just being mean to me!

Enjoy!

* * *

**How it all began**

"You know what? I still think you're too old for pigtails, though I have to admit you look so adorable little Rae!" The Aiko said to her best friend as they were walking. "I mean look!" She proceeded to tug on the left pig tail and make tiny squeak noises. Rae only twitched in pure annoyence. Their walk home was becoming quiet tiresome.

"OW! Aiko, That hurts!" Rae pulled her hair away from the strange girl. "And what is this about being little and adorable! I am only a tiny bit yonger than you!"

"Still 7 months makes you yonger than me! So I declare you The Adorable one!" Aiko poked Rae in the side, just to tease her a little more. "Besides, your even shorter than me!" Rae winced as if Aiko's pats on the head hurt.

"Well, I would return the favor of those hair pulls if you hadn't chopped off all that hair last week!" Rae reached up to pull on Aiko's horribly short hair. "I mean you can't even curl it when its only 3 inches!"

"It doesn't matter what I do with myself right? I just can't see how you girls go around with such long hair, I find it too bothersome." Aiko huffed and just stared at her bangs, a tiny bit of hurt in her eyes. The one thing that Rae knew Aiko hated was the thought that she wasn't right about something. And though she was extremely spontantious she would often regret almost all of her actions.

"Aiko, when was the meeting again?" Questioned Rae trying to change the subject, making Aiko angry or hurt wasn't really what she intended because even though Aiko tried not to show it, she got hurt easily.

"I don't know, but this meeting is going to be special!" Aiko winked at the releived girl. "Besides, I think I found another member who wishes to join…"

"Really? Great!" Rae smiled, but a look of thought soon came over her face. "They did come willingly this time right, Aiko? I don't want anymore cops to have to be 'Taken care of'"

"Rae! I would never do such a thing, besides, I think you'll find him quite the candidate to join, that's why I am making his induction into the club special." Aiko laughed and slung her backpack to her other shoulder. Then she turned off at a different street than usual.

"Where are you going, idiot! Your street's this way!" Rae pointed to the right of her.

"Just have to pick up something! Meet me at my house!" Aiko ran off before her best friend could protest.

"Ok…man, she runs when she has to!" Rae muttered as she turned to Aiko's street and started walking towards her house. The door was open as usual and no one was home. Aiko's father probably wouldn't be home for a few hours any way, so holding meetings here was less restricting than at Rae's house. Rae had trouble with her family accepting Aiko. It was not that Aiko was bad, but she usually got into affairs that shouldn't involve her. The people she tried to help in her life would end up hurting her. Rae's parents didn't wanther anywhere near Aiko. These meetings where the one thing that her parents didn't know about, but they only consisted of looking at pictures of their favorite cuties and watching anime. A game was throne in every now and then to make Aiko happy, but Rae did want to beat her when ever she challenged her at DDR or Halo.

_Maybe John could join too_…Rae shook the thought out of her head, but it did bring back that first question. Who was the new member? What would Aiko do to them on their first day? She felt sorry for the poor guy. She was about to search the fridge for chicken when there was a very loud bang on the front door.

"Coming, Aiko!" Rae rushed down to help her friend with the door. "Ok, what's in the bag? Please tell me it's not a dead body."

"Oh come on! I wouldn't do that! It's still alive!" Aiko poked the bag and let the thing inside shift in discomfort. "See! He's ok!"

"Aiko, is this what I think it is?" Rae untied the top of the large bag.

"Yes, Say hello to our new member; John." Aiko hugged the dazed and confused boy when he finally was released from the cotton bag's inside.

"Is this the 'thing' you had to pick up? Why couldn't I just come with you? It's not like John and I don't know each other." Rae ripped the duck tape off John's mouth. "Next time you tie up my boyfriend let me know! Jeeze, Aiko I think you would at least be that nice!"

"Doesn't anyone care to explain what's going on? Why was I dragged here?" John said looking confused.

"Welcome, new member!" Aiko patted John on the back. "I called this meeting just for you! Rae, the reason I couldn't let you come was because of my 'other' stop… It could have put you in danger so I had to get this baby myself." Aiko held up a black book. It appeared to be tattered on the left side, but one could still make out the gold lettering.

"Adamina realms." Rae read. "What's this all about, Aiko?"

"Rae! I just want to do the initiation right!" Aiko flipped through the book's pages.

"Do you really think I want to be put into danger? I'm not going to do any magic with you. I don't care if you think it will help! It's most likely going to backfire on you!" Rae took the book from Aiko.

"Look, I just looked into this. John, please, you know I wouldn't put anyone in danger! This is perfectly safe." Aiko pleaded.

"Aiko, did you look at everything that could go wrong?" John turned back to Rae.

"This isn't a magic club! It's an anime club! I really don't know how you got ahold of this..." Rae looked at the back of the cover on it was strange markings, that seemed to be in Aiko's handwriting. "When did you get this? This doesn't make any sense the writing is old, but you said you just went and got it."

"Rae, I...well I have been doing more than you think in my spare time." Aiko looked down to the floor. "I have been trying to reach other dimensions. This is all I have been devoting research time to. That book was handed down from my mother, it was made for the use of family affairs, but I found a way to tap into the world of anime. I just wanted to share my first trip there with you, but there has to be a catch if I take more than one person."

"Aiko, I really know you mean no harm, but will we be safe?" Rae held John's hand.

Aiko walked up to Rae. "I just ask that you trust me. Please."

John looked up "Ok, I trust you."

Rae was quiet for a moment and smiled. "Sure, I'll go, but if you're wrong, you owe me a taco."

Aiko opened the book pulled out a bag and three ribbons. The ribbons were three different colors, red, pink and purple. Aiko held the small black bag in her hand; it had a draw string in its opening made of silver colored string.

"The catch of taking more than one person is that it has to involve one of the games in the book. I tried to pick the easiest game for the three of us." Aiko smiled and read the instructions of the game. "You each get one ribbon and I think I have to keep the bag with me. For the one wishing to gain access to another group hand the red ribbon to. For the one who wishes to have fun with friends and games hand the pink ribbon to. For the one that seeks to overcome the greatest feat of all, hand the purple ribbon to."

"Well, it's obvious who gets the red ribbon! Here, John." Rae said.

John grabbed the red ribbon out of her hand and tied it to his keychain. "Aiko that pink one sounds right up your alley with games. Here."

John tried to give it to Aiko, but when it came into contact with Aiko's skin it burned her left hand.

"Ow! Holy crap why didn't that happen with yours?" Aiko ran her hand under cold water and realized that as soon as the pain had come to her hand, it was gone. "Creepy, let me try something, Rae." Aiko placed the pink ribbon on Rae's hand and there was no pain. Rae was fine. "Strange, the ribbon seems to be picking who wears it." Aiko placed the final purple ribbon around her neck and posed. "How do I look?"

"Fine, now lets get to the rest of this so Rae and I can go out to eat." John shoved the book across the floor toward Aiko.

"Where are we going anyhow? Plus, John we should pack some food if we are going anywhere unusual. We don't know how long a game will be." Rae pulled out her backpack and headed toward the fridge. Aiko followed suite and packed her bags with needed items. John just sat and huffed about how he was dragged here without notice so he had no bag.

"Quit complaining, we have enough for you in these two bags." Rae held up the back packs and threw them down next to her, with a quick peck on John's cheek to shut him up. "Ok, Aiko, back to where we were going."

"Oh that's a surprise! It's part of John's test! Well, that's what the book says. I can't divulge the information to you yet, but come on! Its anime! You'll be able to tell!" Aiko scrawled the words from the black book on to a piece of paper. "I am going to recite this and we will be transported to the new world, don't worry about me just be sure to hold on to each other;

_We travel in our lives_

_Never truly understanding_

_Book, we send you these three_

_So that you may guide these souls_

_Help them to gain what they seek_

_Help them to learn_

_Show them the worlds they have yet to see_

_And even bend time with their wishes_

Aiko threw the paper into the air and it burned before them. Rae gasped, held onto John with her bag on her shoulder before the scenery changed. Aiko laughed and grabbed her bag before it started vanishing. The only thing going through her head was _What is the greatest feat of all?_ It doesn't matter I will be able to beat it.

* * *

John woke from his, well it seemed to be just a dizzy spell, _it had Aiko and magic with duct tape…wait that was all real, darn…_ John tried to move his arms finding Rae to still be in them. She was sleeping. John nuzzled her on the head. "Um, time wake up…" 

"Not yet, still sleepy." Rae cuddled closer to him and almost fell asleep again when she remembered what had just happened. "We're in another world, aren't we?"

"Yup," John got to his feet. "I don't see Aiko anywhere though."

"That's not good; she's the only one who knows where we are! Well, It's not like she could tell us either way..." Rae walked over to her bag and picked it up. "Everything else seems to be accounted for…OH NO! My ribbon's gone!"

"Mine too, but I don't think we should worry about it. She said this was all part of the test." Just when John said that a small paper fluttered down from the sky, resembling the paper Aiko had written on earlier to get here. When John folded it open, it read:

Well, it seems you have figured out that this is part of your test. I do trust that Rae is with you, due to the fact that you two were practically clinging to one another before we left. The only thing you must do now is find me. Here is a hint; "Before one finds a Bird-eating spider, one has to find the birds." Good Luck.

Much Love,

Aiko

"Oh Aiko! Why did I have to be friends with such a weird girl!" Rae read the letter again, being sure not to miss anything and threw it in the air. It burned like the other one did; only this time it attracted someone's attention.

"Mind explaining why you can just appear like that in my forest?" A man with a dark cloak stepped out from the trees.

"Aiko sent us here." Rae sputtered out. "I can't believe she sent us to see you, Hiei! I can't beleive we're here though!"

"How did you know my name?" Hiei asked the very embarrassed Rae. John stepped up and was ready to protect his girlfriend.

"That's not important. Though it's kind of cool to finally meet you! Have you seen a tall red headed girl around here?" John stood up to Hiei but was secretly shaking at the knees. "We have to find her."

"Why should I help?" Hiei turned away from them and jumped into the nearest tree. "Leave, you won't find anything here."

"Wait a minute!" Rae just realized that she was talking to THE Hiei; she wasn't going to miss this opportunity. "I need to have a word with you!" She was only met with silence. "Get down here now! I am not going to yell up a tree!" More silence followed by a movement of branches in the next tree. "Fine then! I'll tell Yukina myself that you're her brother! Seeing as you don't have the guts! Let's go John, I don't care if he is Hiei or not, he's being a jerk."

That got Hiei's attention. Not only did these stupid humans know his name, they also knew about his sister. The next thing Becca saw was a sword to her throat. "How did you know my name and about my sister, woman?" Hiei had a deadly glare in his eyes.

"Don't hurt Rae! She only found out because Aiko told her." John grabbed Rae and shielded her from Hiei. All this attention had gone to Rae's head and she fainted.

Speaking of the bird-eating spider, she was preoccupied with another red head. Aiko had been following a certain long red haired, green eyed boy.

* * *

"Got you in my sights, love." She said in a small British accent. She pulled out a tiny spirit sticker. These stickers would only come off if the person who put them on removed them, very handy for this situation. Aiko quickly drew on it. She would only have one chance. She sat atop the light post. There it was, his figure coming down the street. She would have to tag him and run. There was no other way to go about it. When he finally came closer she jumped to the ground. She couldn't have the distance allow him to get away. She ducked in the corner and began to sniffle. Footsteps drew nearer to her. She started crying full out. The red head stopped and stared at Aiko squatting down on the ground. He leaned down to her and patted her head. 

"Are you alright?" He asked gently. He didn't get an answer, besides more sobbing. He quickly formed a tiny pink rose behind his back and offered it. "Here, don't cry anymore."

"Ok…" Aiko sniffed and tried to hug her face to her knees in an effort to draw him closer for the strike. She saw him smile, that was her cue to act. She got him into a hug and thanked him for the rose. "Oh and by the way, there are 4 more birds, be sure to tell them that."Aiko slapped the spirit sticker on his back and ran off. He was so taken aback by her strange actions that he didn't notice that she left him a little present too.

* * *

"John, I don't think we should tell Hiei anymore about Aiko." Rae muttered to her companion. "I heard him muttering ways to kill her earlier when I was out." 

"You think we shouldn't have told him that it was Aiko who told us?" John asked. Rae nodded her head. John only poked the fire in front of them a little; Hiei had started it and told them to stay there to stay there while he tried to find this girl himself. With the fire they could stay camping there for the night.

"She is controlling this moving, I think she can fend for herself here." John leaned to Rae.

Rae sighed, sometimes it was best if she didn't think about it, but Aiko had a way of biting off more than she could chew. Rae knew Aiko would never ask for help. It just wasn't how she would present herself to other people.

"At least that got him to agree to help find her." John finished.

"And do what? Kill her?" Rae finished her sentence as a small black figure flitted into view.

"Only if I don't think she has anymore information for me." Hiei sat near the fire as it started to die down. "You should get to sleep. Kurama wouldn't want to see that I had been torturing humans and looking to kill one."

"Oh, we're going to see 'Mullet boy'?" Rae laughed and John tried to explain to Hiei what a mullet was.

"Stupid humans, wasting energy on naming hair." Hiei jumped into a tree and leaned back. "I don't care where you sleep, but I wouldn't trust the ground to shield you from any attacks."

"We'll be fine!" Rae smiled in Hiei's direction, only to be met with a sleeping fire demon. "He must have gone pretty far to be that tired… He may seem like a jerk, but he did build a fire for us, he could have just killed us. Though I can only guess if Aiko had though of that. I wonder where in this world she could be."

"Let's save that for tomorrow." John kissed Rae on the forehead and held her in his arms. "Just know that I am here, it's going to be ok."

Hiei waited for them to fall asleep, Couldn't have them finding out where Kurama lives…He grabbed them by the collars and they remained asleep…holding on to one another. Hiei sweat dropped a little. Do all humans do this? Never knew Yusuke to hold Keiko like that.

He dropped his load on the window sill of Kurama's room. "Wake-up, fox!" To his surprise the window didn't open immediately. He knocked on it. That did the trick.

"What is it, Hiei?" Kurama opened the window to the little fire demon and gave a queer look when he noticed the two bodies still on the window sill. "Don't tell me you ran out of hiding places for the other dead bodies…" Kurama laughed at Hiei's angry look.

"You know they aren't dead." Hiei kicked John in the side.

"Ow! Hey that hurt Hie- Where are we?" John bolted up and left Rae on the sill groggily waking up. "Couldn't this have waited until morning Hiei? We already knew who Kurama was."

"We get to meet mullet boy!" Rae got up and went to shake his hand.

"Mullet boy?" Kurama was getting annoyed with his late night "guests".

"Heh…I mean er..." Rae looked around the room, which was too neat for her standards. "Sorry, it's a stuck nickname for you."

"Hiei, why are they here?" Kurama just ignored the comments John had on the nickname and turned to the annoyed Hiei.

"They know too much. They knew about Yukina, you and me." Hiei walked over to the window sill. "Should we just kill them or should I report them?"

"Hey!" Rae got up and stormed over to Hiei. "You were supposed to help us find Aiko, not kill us! We came all the way here because of Aiko to meet you and you just want to kill us!"

"Aiko?" Kurama had put the communicator back into his pocket. No need to ship them off if the questions could be answered here. "Who is Aiko?"

"Oh god, I don't even think Aiko knows the answer to that question!" Rae laughed at the thought of her friend's confusing ways. "Well, she's about 5' 8" with red hair, cut really short. She has blue eyes and does strange acts in public. Most of the time they are not illegal, but sometimes I have to bail her out."

"Human, correct?" Hiei said noticing that Rae and John seemed to have human energies.

"Oh, yeah, for all the unusual things she does she is still human." Rae looked at Kurama questioningly. "Have you seen her?"

Kurama recalled the strange girl who stuck a sticker on his back. She did fit the description very well. "Do you have any clue as how to find her?"

"Yeah, she said 'Before one finds a Bird-eating spider, one has to find the birds.'" John was lost when it came to the quote. "That's about it though."

"Yes, I think I have seen her." Kurama pulled a tiny box off of his dresser. "She left you a message, one written and one I am supposed to give you."

"And?" Rae opened the box while John waited for his answer.

Kurama showed John the shirt his was wearing earlier. "I think I may be the first 'bird' Aiko wanted you to find. There are 4 more." The sticker on the back of the shirt was glowing in a strange way with the picture of a bird on it.

John shifted uneasily; he didn't think the birds would be people. With his luck this was only the beginning of the strange people she would tag with those stupid stickers.

Rae read the noted aloud:

Dearest Rae and John,

Congrats! You have found the first bird! Don't stop now, or you'll never catch me! Seeing as how you now know that we are in a very strange world I have appointed two guides to you! Kurama and Hiei are it for this trip and I hope they help you solve my little riddles too. If they refuse, do remind them that I know too much to be left alone! I could be a real b& and let out little Hiei's secret to Yukina, or even Kurama's to his mother. The first bird was easy, but don't expect the second to be that way!

Much Love,

Aiko

Your riddle:

From wood it's made,

From string it's made,

It floats upon the wind.

It's made by one,

It's made by many,

From hands and mouths it spins.

A score without a game.

A staff not for the lame.

With seven letters tamed.

With five letters named

"Well, that helped." John tossed the note into the air. He watched it burn and noticed a very angry looking two demons in front of him.

"That idiot threatens me?" Hiei glared at the letter's ashes.

"Now now, no need to get overly angry. Just have to find her before she does anything dangerous." Kurama replied.

John looked over to Rae. "What are the chances of that?"

"Um, slim to none." Rae smiled. "So let's try and find her before we have no hope."

Kurama sighed. "The riddle she gave was quite easy so let's just start at what clue it left us."

"Sometimes Kurama, I do hate you as a character." John remarked flatly. "Not all of us know what that stupid poem means, care to elaborate?"

"Music. A score without a game. A musical score. A staff not for the lame. Musical Staff with seven notes." Kurama pulled out a map.

"Do you know where they may keep any music around here? Opera houses or Musical Theatres?" Rae leaned over the map and noticed that it was brand new.

"Here it is, the town's center hall. All musical concerts are held there." Kurama handed the map to Hiei. "Do you think you could inspect the area for any signs of a trap she could have set for us?"

"I could just let the humans walk strait into them for you and see if she comes to help her friends." Hiei smirked.

"No." All three of them said to Hiei.

"Well, it was worth a try." He said as he flitted away.


	2. The Theatre

Lost Squirrel: Look, I hate to say it, but I do need reviews. I want to make this story good! I need a lot of help!

Dragonfly: Yeah! I can't edit it all by myself!

Lost Squirrel: Shut up Dragonfly! I don't want them thinking I stink at writing that badly!

Dragonfly: you do though…

Lost Squirrel: I hate you.

Dragonfly: I love you too…

**Chapter 2**

**The Theatre**

Aiko sat on the theatre balcony. Her face was showing no expression as her mind drifted into thought.

'My final test… the one thing I am coming to fear. Wouldn't Rae laugh, if she knew that I was afraid of a challenge for the first time?" Aiko sighed. 'The greatest feat, I know the book doesn't mean hiding from my friends, but what is it? Do I even want to find out?'

The sound of steps coming forward made her stop gazing at the starry night and made her give the tiniest of smiles.

"Welcome, Yusuke. I do hope you aren't mad I made you get up late." Aiko laughed and jumped to the ground outside the theatre. "I'm just here to take over what you have no right to truly own." She had to make him believe this was just a normal gang fight.

"You mean my title? No way in hell am I going to lose it to a girl like you." Yusuke waited for the first punch. "Now come on and fight, or have you changed your mind already?"

Aiko pulled out the book, if nothing else it did have quite the array of protection and attack spells, for safety while traveling, though the one she needed right now wasn't there. 'Damn, no binding spell, then I'll have to knock him out cold.' Her mother's training was usually used for protection, but she prayed that this wouldn't be breaking the rules at all. She would try to not hurt him, but at this point that seemed a bit useless.

Yusuke grew tired of waiting and pulled the first punch at Aiko. She wasn't very good at the physical fighting with people this fast, so she did the only thing she knew to do, block with the book. When Yusuke's fist connected with the book's cover his hand got covered in an electric red energy and started to burn.

"AAAHHH!" Yusuke pulled his hand back. The steam was still present on his knuckles. "I'm guessing that you aren't entirely human, are you?"

"No, I am completely human, like you, but I just have something I need to do before I can leave you alone." Aiko jumped and held the book in the air. "Spirit protection!" The air around her formed into a ball. "Yusuke, I suggest you save your spirit gun, this ball guards against spirit energy of any kind. Even yours."

"Yeah, but it still can't block against my fist." Yusuke lunged at the ball and hit Aiko strait in the stomach. With her guard being only on the spiritual level, the attack spells were her only hope of completing her task. Aiko flew up into the air with her ball of protection again. This time taking time to find the best time to strike him with all she had.

"Care to try that again?" Aiko gritted her teeth. This wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be done, even if all her energy could do was knock some of the wind out of him it would be enough.

"Didn't know you were so taken with getting beat on." Yusuke jumped up again and when he flew at her the second time instead of meeting with a solid punch he got a face full of explosives. Those were only meant to cloud his vision and lungs. That was until he heard it.

"Fire Rage!" Aiko pushed all of her energy into this blast, knowing that it would only take him down for a few minutes, but that was all she needed. Yusuke fell to the ground with a thud. "Please, don't take this too badly; I need to finish the game." Aiko placed the music on his back and laid a bird sticker that only Rae would be able to remove. Before she left, Aiko turned to Yusuke and prayed to her mother. "Please, forgive me."

* * *

"Damn girl, must have tagged me with these stupid papers before I woke! I was only out for a second!" Yusuke was yelling at the sky when the group walked up to him. It appeared that he was trying to rip off the papers that were stuck to him, but the only thing he was accomplishing was ripping his shirt. The sound of steps could be heard. "Hey, Hiei. What are you doing here?"

"Your job, apparently." Hiei walked to Yusuke. "Can't Koenma watch who comes into this world and take care of it before it bothers me?"

"Hiei, Don't be angry at Yusuke, he has nothing to do with this." Kurama came from underneath one of the many tree's shadows surrounding the theatre's entrance. He motioned for Rae and John to come out as well. They looked a bit tattered from having to follow Kurama through the woods, the road was open, but Kurama didn't want to leave them to any open attack.

"Yusuke? Is that really you?" Rae stepped forward and looked at him, making a small circle around him. "You're real? I don't care how many people I meet here, it's still strange to see that you guys are real!" Rae reached out and touched Yusuke's shoulder. The papers that had been bonded toYusukefell off and floated to the ground.

"Ah! I didn't do it!" Rae jumped back. While John just stepped up to grab the papers.

"It seems we just missed her." John sighed and looked down, this was getting to be tiresome for him and if he didn't get some sleep soon, Rae would have to drag his butt to the nearest tree.

"Her? Could someone explain what the hell is happening?" Yusuke stared at Rae and John, "Who are they?"

Kurama thought it best if they contacted Koenma. Kurama and John took turns telling Yusuke what was happening on the way to spirit world. It took a while, but he finally got the picture, though not completely.

"So, Aiko is the enemy? What does she want?" Yusuke looked at Rae questioningly.

"No! Aiko is really a good person; she would never do anything too dangerous no matter how bad this sounds it has a point! As for what she wants, well…We don't know." Rae looked at Yusuke. "Please don't hate her, she isn't a bad person!"

Yusuke just sat silent for a moment and nodded, "Right, I don't hate her, I just want you to know that if she is dangerous I will have to fight her."

John leaned over to Rae. "So, I am guessing that right now isn't the time to crack the 'Danger to Society' joke about her?"

Rae laughed and hugged John. "Just promise to keep the insanity jokes to a low around him."

Yusuke rolled his eyes at the affection those two were showing toward one another. "Could you be any more affectionate?"

"Only if you want us to be!" Rae laughed and kissed John on the cheek, making Yusuke gag.

**end chapter 2**

Lost Squirrel: I know, it's short, but I wanted to get it out while I had the chance!

Thank you to the reviewer:

Icefire2, I will try my hardest; just keep reviewing I want to know what you think!

This is my first story so please, I just found out how to enable the anonymous signing feature, sorry to all those who tried before! I really want to hear everything you have to say, and it really makes me want to write more when you show me you like/dislike/whatever my story! I would even like some suggestions!

Dragonfly: You already know she doesn't own anything so you really didn't need a disclaimer, but if she breaks a rule by not having it here it is:  
SHE DOESN'T OWN YU YU HAKUSHO!

Thank you!


	3. Acting her way in

Lost Squirrel: It has come to my attention that there has only been one person reading this! TT I am seriously going to cry if it stays that way, I have spent time on these and people should just tell me if they don't think my stories are any good!

Dragonfly: Look! You made her cry! Shame on you!

Lost Squirrel: Oh well, I guess I'll keep posting until some more review.

* * *

Acting your way in

Aiko slipped on the black long haired wig and stepped out of her stall. She walked to the mall's bathroom mirror and put a coat of light red lipstick on. She put on her green contacts to hide her eye color. Wearing a black suit with red accents tipping it she looked one last time to the mirror. Aiko almost gasped at how much one could change her appearance with the right tools and a little money she had to "borrow" from the mall goers.

"Time for my act to begin." Aiko walked out of the bathroom with bag in tow, her old clothes and her old personality within. This time the person she would have to fool would be easier, but she still had to disguise herself. Just in case the spirit world was looking for her at that moment.

* * *

Speaking of the ever watchful Spirit world, the ruler, Koenma was up to eyes with complaints from both Yusuke and Hiei.

"What do you mean that the spirit world didn't notice three new beings come in?" Yusuke grabbed the toddler by the collar. "It's your job!"

"Kurama! Help!" Koenma looked to the only one of the entire group of people that could offer assistance.

"Yusuke, let him go before you end up killing him." Kurama sighed and leaned against the wall, '_this is going to be a long night.'_

Koenma was gasping for air when finally let go. The pissed off Yusuke was given a chair to sit in, but seemed too agitated to sit still long enough. Rae and John had been in the corner reading the note Aiko had left, waiting for the appropriate time, but seemed to be shut out of the meeting for now.

"Ok, the reason these people went undetected was because of their power." Koenma pointed to the now included Rae and John. "They are human and weak, there for, the radar just didn't pick up the disturbance as anything troublesome. That is why you were never warned."

"Then why didn't you just keep tabs on them?" Kurama inquired.

"They are too weak to tell apart from any other human, it would have been too difficult." Koenma paused. "Well, that is until the girl, Aiko, used some sort of energy from that strange book to fight Yusuke. That's the only time we could track her is when she is using the book."

"Guys?" The entire groups turned to the forgotten two humans in the office. Rae spoke up again. "Why don't we just follow her clue and wait to see when she uses the book again? That way we'll at least be close."

"Yeah, don't you have communicators?" John looked to Yusuke when he pulled out his tiny purple compact. "Just have Koenma tell us where the signal is and we can follow that to find her quicker."

"I think they're right." Koenma handed the two humans communicators. "Now, what's this clue?"

"Well, I don't quite get it myself." Rae held the paper up and read aloud;

_Rae and John,_

_Hi! Tell Yusuke that the territory we were supposedly fighting over is his, I don't care. I hope he isn't hurt at all. _

_This note isn't a clue so much as a warning. Pack your things, you'll be leaving for a week, hope you get your notices in the mail!_

_Much Love,_

_Aiko_

_PS: Thank you for the pink flower Kurama, it really was thoughtful of you, though I did just manipulate you._

With that John grabbed the paper and flung it into the air. The ashes fell to the ground. The silence that followed was short due to the laughter from Rae.

"What are you laughing about?" Hiei finally interrupted Rae.

"Sorry, it just looks like Aiko has a crush on Kurama." Rae busted out laughing again, '_Out of all the weird things Aiko could have written, she wrote about him! This is great!'_

John just picked up the bag they had been carrying the entire trip and looked up. "I think we're going to need some clothes."

* * *

"I would like to sign some of my children up for leadership training," Aiko walked into the office and sat into one of the many wooden chairs in the room. "And I heard your camp is the best in this town."

"Of course! We offer the best in classes for our campers!" The cheerful board director smiled. The shifting of papers was heard and some files were placed on the desk. "There is a small fee for the darlings signing in so late."

"How much?" Aiko looked to the documents on the table of the office. She could just as easily get the information using the book, but at what risk? Could spirit world track her book now that they knew of it? She shifted uneasily; the wig she was wearing started to itch.

"No more than $240 dollars a camper, which brings me to my next question, how many of the precious little ones do you want to visit our camp?" The board director sat behind the desk and pulled out her pen and calculator.

"5...no wait, 6." Aiko stood up straighter. "Yes six, I would like to enroll six campers."

"Um, you do know that there is an age limit of 14-19, correct?" The smile of the director's face flitted for a moment.

"Yes, but 4 of the 6 are twins. Fraternal, so they look only slightly similar. I would appreciate it if you didn't bring it up in front of them though. They are sensitive since the last father of theirs died."

"I understand." The director gave a sympathetic look. "What are the names?"

"Well, due to the many fathers they have different last names, is that a problem?" Aiko bit her lip, in a feigned worry.

"of course not, I understand." The board director grabbed Aiko's hand and squeezed in reassurance.

"Thank you, The first is Kurama Crevan my eldest son. The next would be the twins John and Rae Crevan. They are the most well behaved children I have ever met. Well, I am a little biased, but my next two should be looked out for. They are Yusuke Uremeshi and the last twin Hiei Keegan. My last child is…"

* * *

Lost squirrel: There another chapter! This one I won't add another to unless I get some feed back! Pick the last child and if no one picks I am going to burn my computer!

Dragon fly: I don't know, I think you are putting too much pressure on them! Let them just enjoy the story.

Lost squirrel: you're on their side aren't you? Death to the nonbeliever!

Cookies to reviewers!

Also, do you want to know the significance of the names? Read on….


	4. Anger

**Lost Squirrel:** This is getting old…

**Dragonfly:** Quit your whining and just do it!

**Lost Squirrel**: Fine, Fine, I don't own these people, I just think they are fun to torture.

Well Except for Aiko, Rae and John, those guys are all my concepts.

**Dragonfly:** And as always, reviews feed the soul and right now her soul is hollow.

**Lost Squirrel**: I know what I said, but since more people have at least read my story. I will update! Though that does mean that part of this story will have to be thought up on my own that I wanted you to decide, so let's see how it goes. >. ;

* * *

**Chapter 4:Anger

* * *

**

"Now this is odd." Yusuke held up the slip of paper and read it again.

Dear Yuskuke Uremeshi,

You have been enrolled in CAMP KIOKO for the week of June 5th-12th. This is the special LEADERSHIP session. Due to your late entry, we will be accepting your class schedule the day off your arrival. Enclosed are your health forms and a check list for what you will need this week.

Arrive at 12 noon Sunday (June 5th), promptly and with your family.

Sincerely,

Anita Perdita

_Director _

PS: I have arranged for your family to stay in special cabins as specified. I can't wait to meet you all. Tell your mother I am sorry for her being unable to attend the orientation on beginning Sunday.

"Damn! I hate this assignment! It just feels like we're being pulled by her strings! If I knocked her out when I had her in my sight…" Yusuke looked into the mailbox again. There where the other envelopes for his friends, one for each of them. This wasn't his mother's doing. She doesn't know about Kurama or Hiei, let alone those two other people they found a week ago. Yusuke figured that there was no other way around it; this was the only lead they had. There was no way he could ignore it. Yusuke reached for the phone.

Unfortunately Kurama didn't answer.

"Hello?" John answered.

"Put Kurama on the phone." Yusuke demanded.

"I really can't do that. He's busy cleaning up Rae's mess." John paused for a moment and a loud crash of glass was heard. "Well, her other mess." Rae could be heard in the back round screaming. It sounded like there was a lot of shuffling.

Rae screamed again. "I didn't know that was alive! It looked just like a plant I take care of at home!" Gas started to hiss into the phone receiver. "Quick cover it's mouth!"

"I think we're going to be…dropping by soon." John started with gasping breath. Yusuke sweat dropped as the end line clicked off and awaited his friends' arrival.

* * *

Aiko was in the middle of a crowded mall. The stoic feeling from the passing people only gave her more of a reason to take what she needed from them. None of the adults in a mall really need any of the money they have, or else they wouldn't be in a mall to begin with. The art of stealing was not something Aiko had perfected yet though, she had been caught twice. Those times she had to feign an act of finding the "lost" wallet. She was only thankful that she didn't need that much today. The mall goers were beginning to get suspicious of her. 

"Oh well, that's enough. I really have to start with getting her ready for camp." Aiko picked up her backpack and left the mall. "I have been neglecting the game far too long."

She scratched her head and looked angrily at the black wig she had been wearing for the past week. If she didn't dye her hair soon this wig would be the death of her. The thought of changing her appearance made her uncomfortable, but if she were to keep the game going she had to learn how to blend in with the surroundings. Just as she was going through the mall's sliding doors, she heard them coming.

"One person may be able to get an outfit with this much money, but not two." Rae turned her head to John. "I suppose we're just going to Rainbows. They are always cheap."

"I guess, but that Aiko, why did she have to go sign us up for a stupid camp!" John turned the corner of the mall's hallways and Aiko followed behind. "I hate doing this! I really want this to stop. I just can't take anymore of her stupid games."

Rae stopped John in the middle of a punch to the wall. She them turned him to the nearest couch on mall floors and sat with him, gently rubbing his back. "I know, I hate this too, but it's not like we can just leave." Rae pushed back her tears so that John wouldn't grow even more upset. "I hate this so much. It all wouldn't have happened if Aiko didn't start it." Rae was growing more upset by the minute. "You wouldn't be crying and I wouldn't have to go to a damn camp. We wouldn't have to be following her at all. It's all her fault." Rae began to sob, she couldn't stop her frustration between having to play and trying to hold back tears from coming out. "She…It's all her fault. I…Aiko…I HATE YOU, AIKO!" Rae hunched over and tried to catch her breath from yelling and crying. She then heard a familiar voice that sounded like it was crying just as hard.

"Oh really!" Aiko had pulled off her wig and stuffed it into the bag she was carrying. "I asked you if you wanted to come! You said you did! I told you this was a game! Well, if you hate me so much, just stop acting like you're my friend! I was making this game easy and fun for you, well that will end today, you have just made this game easier on me and a hell of a lot harder on you." Aiko ran off, her tears still hot on her face.

* * *

"Ok, why?" Yusuke looked at Rae again. "Wasn't this supposed to be a challenge from the start?"

"Well, As I said before, when she talked to us she…well…" Rae began to have apparent cracks in her voices. "She said she was making it too easy on us, and we are going to have a harder time from now on."

"Yusuke does have a point though. Why would she come out of hiding just to say that? I mean she could have written it. Then the next question would be what made her more intent on making this harder on us?" Kurama looked to the two main reasons and gave them a pressuring look.

Rae and John looked at one another, both hanging their heads ever so slightly. Both knew the answer, but didn't want to speak.

"Well, I guess we will just have to follow her directions until someone does wish to help us." Kurama stood and offered the two geusts the hallway to retreat to their rooms. "Good night, You'll have to retire early for we will need an early start if we wish to have the camp searched in time for the class registration. Yusuke and Hiei, stay."

Kurama closed the door and turned to his friends, "There is more that happened that they aren't telling us. Though they can't see it, that bit may be important to finding the girl."

"So, we just question them till they pop under the pressure?" Yusuke yawned and scratched the back of his head. "I've done it before, that's not the reason you stopped us though is it?"

"No, I was just wondering if you two could try to follow them a bit more now, in case she shows up anymore because we can't lose another opportunity to catch her." Kurama nodded his head to Hiei. "I need you to follow Rae, and Yusuke can follow John."

"Is that all?" Hiei asked sounding as though this was all repeated information.

"Yes." Kurama opened the door again. "See you tomorrow."

* * *

Lost Squirrel: Yeah, kind of sad.

Dragonfly: Aw, poor Hopkins! Don't die!

Lost Squirrel: Are you even reading the right story?

Dragonfly: Um, sure!_ Sweatdrop_

Lost Squirrel: I hate you…

Dragonfly: I love you too!

****

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!


	5. The bloody beach

**Lost Squirrel: Wow! Another Chapter! aren't you happy!**

**Dragonfly: Nope. That only means I have to edit it more and more…**

**Lost Squirrel: TT you are so mean! Oh well! I have gotten a total of 3, yes you heard me!3 reviews! I could cry right now!**

**Dragonfly: Um, right speaking of crying, yes this is going to be another sad chapter (at the beginning). Sorry to say, but the humor will come again (Though not in this chapter!) I am going to make sure of that!

* * *

**

Aiko held her hands in fists. The sand starting to leave tiny imprints on her knuckles as she kneeled on the shore line. If she were to release the focus and tension from her hands then she would have started to cry again. The mall scene hadn't been that much of a new occurrence, this always happened. Aiko began to think back in her life.

She had only known Rae for three years. It was only a matter of time before she saw how Rae really felt. Aiko's friends always ended up like this, they really never liked her, and they were always just using her or being polite. She hated her "friends" after finding this out… she could never trust them if all they kept doing was hurting her on purpose. She was about to shut down three years ago, when she met Rae.

"I thought she was different," Aiko looked down at her hands. The tension was being released only because the blood that was starting to trickle off her fists. Aiko scolded herself again. The crying was something she couldn't tolerate. It just wasn't in her pride to let anyone see her tears. It made her look beaten down like a dog. After wrapping her right hand in bandages she had "borrowed" from the drug store earlier. She held her left up and looked at it with interest. The cuts were still bleeding, and if she squeezed her hand again she could make enough blood to make a tiny puddle in her palm. The puddle gave her an idea.

"Let's send Rae a nice little note my dear book," Aiko grabbed more paper from the book's last pages and started to write. "There, now that it's all finished, I am going to have to disguise its scent." Aiko held the paper out and watched it try to pull free when the breeze blew by. When the 'ink' had dried she set the note in the sand, buried it. Reminding herself not to forget the note.

"Now, I was going to just send Sani to trip up their senses. But I think Rae needs someone to watch over her. Just in case, she's been pretending to be anyone else's friend." Aiko wickedly smiled. "Who better to do that then me? Now then," Aiko patted her clothes. "They would recognize me in a heartbeat if I showed up like this." She looked down to her book, placing a hand on its cover in question and the word shot through her mind.

_'Adaptation'_ Aiko looked at her book again "Can I? The change is what I need, but it's irreversible. Is it worth the risk?" She closed her eyes; the book would be the one to choose what kind of changes would occur. Not a safe move, but she couldn't think of any other way of hiding. The memory of Rae flooded her vision. Her eyes snapped open. "It's worth it."

_

* * *

_

"Ok, maybe she's not mad!" Rae looked over to John and he just shook his head. John had been trying to pull Rae out of the denial of losing one of her friends. This would be hard enough on its own, but Rae also knew it was her fault. This was worse than the time Rae broke one of the porcelain dolls that belonged to Aiko's mother. Aiko just cleaned up the mess and said that she just remembered that she was busy. Rae had come crying to John when this happened and he had the perfect solution; he had Rae buy another doll. This one was hand painted. This time though, Aiko wouldn't forgive her with a doll. John leaned back onto the wall and sighed. Closing his eyes, he began to drift into a sleep. That was until the door to their room flew open with a loud bang.

"She's using the book." Kurama had his communicator open and a tiny beeping noise was heard emitting from it. "We have to move quickly to catch her."

* * *

_It was a strong signal. What ever Aiko had started to do was very powerful. Why would she risk being caught unless it was absolutely necessary? _Kurama had looked at the sand below his feet, _The beach, what a strange place. It has a limited area of escape and someone could be spotted for miles here._

Hiei sifted his finger through the sand. The tracks didn't mean anything, by the time they had gotten there the wind had erased most of them. He felt a piece of paper touch his hand when he was searching a particularly unusual mound. When unfolded, He read it through and motioned for Kurama to come over. Once it was read by him, he headed over to the two humans that were still searching through the sand and waters.

"Rae, John, I think you should see this." Kurama handed the note over.

"What did she write this time?" Rae asked nervously.

"Its not what she wrote that troubles me." He saw her eyes grow large. "It's that she wrote it in blood."

* * *

**DUN DUN DUN!**

**Lost Squirrel: Getting scary now! Wooo hoo!**

**Dragonfly: Wait a minute didn't she tell herself not to forget the letter?**

**Lost Squirrel: Yes, but you have to remember what happened after she wrote the note. (CoughIMPORTANTcough)**

Thank you to all that have reveiwed so far!

BHS- Yes, I did favorite your story, because I loved it! Thank you for the reveiw!

Kamikaze-Watermellon- Thank you for your advice too! Well, the thing about my 'he said' and 'hesaid' is a tiny glitch in the computer when it takes my words from here to there, I have tried to correct it as much as I can find it.

TigerChickTigress- YAY! You really make me want to write the rest of this! I promise this will be good, just for you guys!

BTW Watermellon: Hiei is standing behind you.

**Dragonfly: I think John and Rae are way too clingy in this thing! Add some spicy relationships already! You know! Shojo style!**

**Lost Squirrel: I dunno, do the readers really want that? I mean I could do that and I have ideas, but I also have ideas for other ways too!**

**So, the main thing is that we're trying to say is…**

**REVIEW! REVIEW!**

**REVIEW! REVIEW!**


	6. Dreams

**Lost Squirrel:** Well, since a horrible injury has left me house ridden, I think I will try to update my story.

**Dragonfly:** It's your own damn fault though.

**Lost Squirrel:** Maybe I shouldn't have said anything about how it happened. You have done nothing but tease me about it!

**Dragonfly:** You deserve it. You should have known not to jump from a 5 foot ledge. The only thing below you was cement!

**Lost Squirrel:** Shut up, its enough that I have to have crutches, now I have to here about that from you over and over.

**Dragonfly:** At least the fall has lightened your mood. Let's have some fun in this chapter!

**Lost Squirrel:** Maybe, I don't control what comes out of my fingers.

Enjoy!

* * *

****

Dreams

_"Be true to your work, your word, and your friend," _Rae looked at the sentence in her head, it was such a simple quote. The meaning had nothing really hidden in it. All it asked for was the reader to put themselves wholly into their life. This was the weirdest note Aiko had left so far, it almost sounded like she wasn't even the one writing it. I hand writing had been very strange and oddly scratched. That was almost expected to come from writing when you are in pain. Who would even write with their own blood? _Aiko, would I suppose. I hope she is alright after that note. I just wonder what she was doing with the book._

_"Though the pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple." _The quote was right. Aiko thought she knew the truth. She only knew half of it. Rae tossed to the right side of her bed. Kurama had left after reading the note a second time, to investigate something. Rae didn't like the look he had. To her, that was the façade of a hunter before they capture their prey, not a very good sign for Aiko. Kurama had been gone ever since that evening. It was now 11:30 pm. The moon Rae could see outside her window reminded her of the last part of the note.

_"It is my fate and perhaps my temperament to sign agreements with fools, so in accordance I will finish this game with you. You will leave when the full moon's light reflects twice upon your face." _Rae loved the moon, it was her ruling 'planet', but to be referred to here, it could only mean that it would be almost a month and ½ before she would return home. _Will Aiko return home with me? Was the greatest feat she had mentioned being able to do all this to her friends? _Rae turned over again; all this thinking was getting her only more questions. She closed her eyes and with the weight of the entire day on her mind, drifted into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Rae awoke in a large field of flowers. "How cheesy," She muttered. The flowers were all ones she had found the most beautiful, but all of them had such a strange tint of black to them. She picked up a tiny pink chrysanthemum "Why are you turning black?" She found herself feeling a bit strange talking to a flower, but she did get an answer. 

"It's because it isn't getting enough attention from you. Though _these_ flowers are lovely." The girl that spoke to her had a light green dress and had long brown hair. She giggled and handed Rae a yellow hyacinth.

This started Rae a little. "How old are you?"

"Does that really matter? I could be 5 and I could be 500? Would you know if I was telling the truth?"  
"Well, you look younger than 500, so I think I'll stick with the notion that your around 6, ok?" Rae held the yellow hyacinth in front of her. "So, why these flowers?"

"You have some much growing here and then you neglect it all for these flowers, that's why." The little girl huffed and turned away. "And _these_ were my favorites too."

"What? I did? How could I have grown all this? This isn't right. What are you doing here if I grew it and how am I neglecting it?" Rae defensively stated.

"You don't know where you are? No wonder you are so confused!" The little girl sat in a pile of already dead flowers, "I am Tanya, Keeper of the garden. These flowers here are pieces of you. Well, your emotions. The yellow hyacinth is the flower of your sadness and hatred. The pink ones over there are of your many relationships with friends. They are all connected to you. The one you picked. The one most blackened by the latest neglect is Aiko's flower."

Rae looked into her hand the pink flower's petals had started to fall off and was getting to the point of no return. "How can I help this flower?"

Tanya looked at it and tossed it aside. "You might as well stop with that one, it's impossible to help it. These other ones though-"

"No, I will not just give up on this one. It is my best friend's flower! How could I just give it up?" Rae fetched the flower from the ground and reattached the flower to its stem.

"Well, I guess there is someone out there like her." Tanya giggled again.

"Like who?" Rae asked.

"Like your old nursery rhyme;

_Somebody said that it couldn't be done,  
But she with a chuckle replied  
That "maybe it couldn't," but she would be one  
Who wouldn't say so till she'd tried.  
So she buckled right in with the trace of a grin  
On her face. If she worried she hid it.  
She started to sing as she tackled the thing  
That couldn't be done, and she did it.  
_

"I hope your pink flower grows well, Rae." Tanya waved her hand. "Goodbye!"

* * *

Then Rae woke up with a start. Looking down to the garden through the guest room window she saw a single pink flower. "Aiko, don't worry, I'm going to find you soon."

* * *

Across the room in that very same house though there was another who was having a troublesome dream. John was lost to the sinking feeling that he encountered that evening on the beach. The note only started his strange anxieties. The dream only added to this…

* * *

The house looked familiar. He had wondered where he had recognized it from. Then it hit him, this was Aiko's house. He walked up to the entrance with a nervous first step. The house seemed to grow much larger in the 5 feet it took to reach the door. This didn't deter him from what he had to do, so with a swift two knocks he announced his presence. 

The noise seemed to echo within the dwelling. Then a soft patter of feet could be heard coming from behind the door. The large oak door swung open quite quickly to reveal Aiko in her usual attire. She looked as though interrupted, but smiled pleasantly at John.

"Yes?" Aiko softly question. "Why are you here?"

"You need to come back with me. Rae is waiting for you." John reached out for Aiko's hand. "Please, Aiko we need you hurry and leave this place." The hand John had grabbed burst into pieces.

"I'm sorry, but as you can see, I can't come back." Aiko held up the shattered arm and watched it crack. "I am no longer the same person you've known for 3 years."

"But Aiko, what you heard… It wasn't really what she…" But before John could finish the crack in Aiko's arm extended to her entire body. The cracks began to glow and she shattered into hundreds of pieces.

"I'm sorry, John." Aiko spoke from the nothingness.

* * *

John woke and crossed the hall to Rae. When he entered, he found her at the window sill, looking down on the garden. 

"Worried about Aiko?" John tilted his head to her shoulder.

"No, we will find her." Rae looked at John and kissed his forehead.

"It can't be done, she's too lost." John leaned further down on the sill.

"Never say something can't be done until you've tried your hardest." Rae giggled at the strange thought as Tanya crept into her head. "So, what's the plan for tomorrow?"

**

* * *

Lost Squirrel: Ok, this is so hard to do! I really want to put humor in this, but the thing is that I can only write what comes out of my fingers! Its turning romantic (gag) on me! **

Dragonfly: Maybe that's why this writing stinks!

Lost Squirrel: Yeah, maybe.

Dragonfly: Well, as any writer says after a fan reads the work.

Review! Review!

Review! Review!


	7. The Forest of Change

**Lost Squirrel:** Like I have said before, I am going to try and write more chapters now that I am house bound.

**Dragonfly:** She even beat .Hack/sign Infection with all the spare time she had!

**Lost Squirrel:** yeah, I was almost done with it anyway so; this was just a little feat.

**Dragonfly:** But you still beat it all the same!

**Lost Squirrel:** Focusing on the story now…I wanted to ask the readers if they liked how it was turning out. I know that the story is getting a bit depressing and I want it to stay as happy as I possibly can make it, but if it is a horrible trouble to read it then I want to know. This chapter is going to be more weird sadness…so I hope you will bear with me until the end! Kurama makes an appearance though for all of you who missed him in the last chapter!

**

* * *

Forest of Change**

Aiko rolled over; the sound of foot steps was drawing nearer to her. With the blood tearing out of her closed eyes, she couldn't open them to see who was approaching. She decided it was most likely Kurama come after to kill her. If he didn't kill her he would most likely bring her to spirit world for torture until she confessed some sort of crime.

Looking back on it, this was an extremely risky thing to do. Not only did she "tell" them where she was with that huge signal, she also made her self completely vulnerable for about 12 hours. That's what the book did to her at least. It chose what to do and once she set it in motion all she had to do was hide.

People think change is something lovely and beautiful; it's never beautiful when forced. The book literally begins surgery on the person. All without Novocain. She had gone through having her hair ripped out and replaced. The long hair was still growing into place, but it was nothing compared to the bones shifting within her arms and legs as she shifted heights. The blood from her eyes wasn't serious; it was only from the itching that a new color had caused her lids. So, all of this would heal, but it would hurt for a few days.

She heard the foot steps stop before her. A hand came down and lifted her wrist for a pulse. She let out a small groan of pain with the movement. The man, as she had figured out, lifted her up and began to carry her. As the pain began to subside the numbness quickly replaced it and she fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Kurama stepped into the forest. This was the place the trail lead. She was either stupid, over confident or forced into running here. He looked down and saw it, the trail of blood. She was heavily injured. The amounts grew as he followed it deeper into the forest; it was almost making him sick. 

_"Was she fighting someone?" _Kurama reasoned, that would explain the blood, but not the absence of another set of foot prints. The falls she took were many and he lost count around 35. _"Though this is a dense forest a normal human shouldn't have that much trouble."_

Kurama stopped where the trail ended, in one large imprint the ground where Aiko's legs must have given way. Another trail was started and he followed that one of an older gentleman. The steps showed that he was carrying Aiko, but that was all he could decipher. Following it to another end he let out a sigh. The end was a huge electric fence. Behind it lie about 10 houses that had 3 levels at least.

It would be a pain to break into all ten that night, so he decided to call it a night and report what he had found.

* * *

**Lost Squirrel:** Yes, it's short, but I couldn't really drag the next chapter into this one without it sounding odd and choppy. 

**Dragonfly**: She already tried.

**Lost Squirrel:** heh, well thank you for reading this far and I hope you review.


	8. Lying to Live

**Lost Squirrel:** This is getting weirder and weirder. I really want to add more OCs, but they just don't seem to fit.

**Dragonfly:** Plus it wouldn't be a good Fan fiction if all it had was OCs.

**Lost Squirrel:** Yeah, but I still wanted to add someone that was different.

**Dragonfly:** Oh well, the story must be told in the proper way.

**Lost Squirrel:** Oh and I have some good news though! I have been freed from my splint! Whoop! I will now be able to move about freely!

* * *

**Lying to Live**

Aiko awoke to the feeling of a woman's hand on her forehead. "Her temperature has gone down and the wounds are healing extremely quickly." There was a rummaging of supplies next to her head. Aiko opened her eyes to see that the blood had been washed away from her face. The woman who was feeling her forehead gasped with a bit of shock and then smiled.

"I am so glad you are finally awake," The woman tilted her head in a questioning manner. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes," Aiko looked down at herself. The voice that had come out wasn't her own. This new voice sounded higher and more childlike than her original voice. She also noticed that her legs were about 5 inches shorter. The biggest surprise came when she found her hair to have grown to the length of her waist and had become a dark purple color, matching her eyes. _'No wonder it hurt so much, my bones were being compressed.' _

"Girl?" The woman raised her voice a little as if trying to get Aiko's attention.

"Um, yes?" Aiko blushed, throughout trying to figure out what had changed, she entirely ignored the woman trying to ask her a question.

"What's your name?" The woman's question was not an easy one. If Aiko feigned amnesia then she wouldn't have to answer many questions, but that would attract attention. If she gave a real name then the woman would report her to the police under missing person case and Aiko would be found before the game was over. There was only one option, lie like a dog.

"Oki, my name is Oki." Aiko sat up.

"What a lovely name. Mine is Avarielle, so how did you end up so badly hurt?" Aiko then proceeded to tell Avarielle of a false family that she had to get back to and the fall from a tree she took before they had found her.

"Oh, then let us escort you back to your house. We wouldn't want you to reopen those wounds you got." Avarielle got up to get some clothes for Aiko, but was stopped by a shout.

"No! My…my family is out of town, you can't see them." Aiko mentally hit herself. If she were in her original body she could have passed for 18, but in this one, she looked 14. There was no way this woman would let her live by herself.

Avarielle kneeled down next to the bed, a worried look on her face. "Oki, it's ok to tell me if you don't have anywhere to go. I won't take you to the cops, ok?"

Aiko slid down in her bed a little, the longer she spent here would make it easier for _them _to find her. _'Oh well, it really is better than stealing to survive here.' _Aiko nodded her head in Avarielle's direction and watched as the woman left the room with a little haste.

_Let's hope she keeps good to her word, or I might have to make a run for it. _Aiko hit herself again; having the cops and the spirit detectives after you isn't good. She almost couldn't stand going through another physical change again. _Well all I need to do after this is convince them to let me go to camp in three days. _

* * *

Kurama explained the confusing details to an already bewildered spirit detective. 

"So, You do know where she is though, right?" Yusuke asked in a desperate tone. This case was becoming more and more annoying. If he had to follow the two humans around for another day he would go insane. He didn't mind the added perk of being able to miss high school without being reproached by Kurama.

Hiei was sent on an investigation mission of the area that Kurama had last seen Aiko's tracks. The blood had dried and there was almost no trace of her foot steps due to the shore wind. It would be hard to find her by scent alone, due to the fact that the area of her last steps had three scents. The area Kurama told him about was only two miles off, so Hiei decided to try and find her the old fashioned way.

This wasn't Hiei's strong point as he soon found out. Kurama told him to ask the people if they had seen her before trying to break into the house. He didn't see the point if it was just going to waste time. Then again, the actions he chooses to take are always being monitored, so he thought it better to stick with Kurama's logic on this one. That didn't do anything to stop the awkwardness of knocking on someone's door.

"Hello?" An extremely large woman opened the door. Her tiny dog bounced from behind her to see who dare to knock on the door.

"Have you seen a 17 year old girl with red hair?" Hiei tried to remember what it was that Kurama said about talking to humans, but it was all being dissolved by this mutt's whining barks. The tiny dog crawled out of the doorway and started to growl at Hiei. He gave it a death stare and it only proceeded to crouch.

"Oh, um, now that you mention it, I might have seen someone…" The woman kept talking about when she might have seen a brown haired old woman. Hiei turned away to leave, but the dog leapt at that exact moment to bite his cloak. He, of course kicked the dog in the side and it just wouldn't let go of him. He then got out his katana. The woman screamed and waddled to the phone. In just a few seconds, he heard screams of "Police! He's going to kill Woofles!"

That's when Hiei kicked the dog off and made a run for it.

Hiei's next try wasn't any more pleasing than the last, but at least the man wasn't as annoying as the woman's dog.

"Well, I might have seen a girl…" The old man held his chin and looked sharply at Hiei. "Why are you looking for someone in your family?"

Hiei hadn't known whether to lie or just use torture to get the strait answer out of this man. He went with the easier of the two choices.

* * *

"And you still haven't found out anything!" Yusuke, in an exhausted tone, screamed at him. 

"Shut up, Detective." Hiei sat on the window sill and watched from Kurama's room the evening sun over the city.

"By the way," Yusuke sighed, stretching out on Kurama's bed. "Why are you here early? I thought we agreed you would be out until 9 questioning the people."

"Well--" Hiei started but the TV, which had been turned on by Yusuke's stretching arm hitting the remote, interrupted him.

"We have an emergency report." The reporter looked gravely into the camera. "There has been a rash of several threats of people's lives this evening. It seems to be the work of a madman searching for girls to kidnap. He goes to houses, seeming to be searching for his next victim. When the information he seeks is not given, he immediately threatens their very lives with a sword. The police have only allowed the release of two of the cases. In one, the madman pulled the sword on a dog. The other case was crueler; the police had found an old man hanging in the top of a 40 foot tree. The bizarre man is said to be in his late teens, wearing all black in the form of a cloak and pants. Our sketch artist has depicted what he may look like."

A picture that looked somewhat like Hiei flashed on to the screen. Hiei went over and turned it off.

"They overreact. It was only a 30 foot tree." He then walked out of the room.

**

* * *

Lost Squirrel: I got it! YAY! I knew putting Hiei in the story would liven it up! **

**Dragonfly:** I don't know how that makes much sense, but YAY!

**Lost Squirrel:** Right, well, I really love you all for reviewing! Thank you for putting me on your story alert list! I feel so loved!

**Dragonfly:** Don't get too big of a head! You might just be on a lucky streak.

Anyway:

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REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!


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